Suspenders.



No. 644,63l. Patented Mar. 6, I900.

r. H; PEELLE.

SUSPENDEBS.

Application filed May 1, 1899) N o M o (1 el Emu-" ine 2mm? I 31.lllllllll PATENT FFICE.

FERNANDO H, PEELLE, or JONESBOROUGI-I, INDIANA.

SUSPENDERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,631, dated March 6,1900.

Application filed. May 1, 1899. Serial No. 715,157. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FERNANDO H. PEELLE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Jonesborough, in the county of Grant and State ofIndiana,have invented a new and useful Suspenders, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to suspenders, and has forits object to provideanimproved construction of yielding attaching-straps for the extremitiesof the shoulder-straps and for the back, and particularly to provide asimple and efficient construction of spring-actuated spools or drums,whereby the spring is completely housed and whereby its attachment to vthe spools is facilitated.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear in thefollowing description, and the novel features thereof will beparticularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understoodthat the improvement is susceptible of various changes in the form,proportion, size, and minor details of construction withoutdepartingfrom the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

To a full disclosure of the invention an embodiment thereof is shown inthe accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a view of a pair ofsuspenders provided with attaching-straps constructed in accordance withmy invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section in detail of oneof the attaching devices. Figs; 3 and 4 are inner face views,respectively, of the disks or rotary members of the attaching device.Figs. 5 and 6 are-central sectional views, respectively, of the same.Fig. 7 is a detail sectional elevation of the form of attaching deviceshown at the rear of the suspenders. Fig. 8 is a detail transversesection of the same.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawlngs.

In the illustrated embodiment of my inven tion, 1 represents the usualshoulder-straps, with the front portions of which are engaged the usualclasps 2, carrying the attachingstraps 3, which may terminate in loops 4or other equivalent devices for engaging trousers-buttons. In theconstruction illustrated the clasp consists of a keeper 5, on which ismounted a clutch-arm 6, having a serrated or toothed jaw 7 forengagement with the web of the shoulder-strap.

8 and 9 represent front and rear plates, of which the former may beintegral with the shank or arm 6, as shown, while the rear plate isattached by means of rivets 10 or the equivalents thereof to said shank.These plates are connected bya transverse pivot 11 in the ,form of aneyelet, and mounted upon this pivot are parallel front and rear disks ordrums l2 and 13, provided with peripheral strap-seats, in which operatethe independent attaching-straps 3. Each disk is provided with a flangewhich projects from the inner side of the disk toward the twin orcompanion disk, and on the outer surface of this flange is formed theabove-mentioned seatfor the attaching-strap. Furthermore, each disk ordrum is provided at and concentric with its central opening with abearing-sleeve 14, which fits upon the pivot 11 and which is of aprojection from the plane of the disk which is equal to that of theflange 15. The disk 12 is provided adjacent to its center or justoutside of the sleeve-bearing 14 with a collar 16, which projects beyondthe plane of the edges of the sleeve 14 and flange 15 and terminatesapproximately in the plane of the innersurface of the disk 13, and thedisk 13 is provided near its periphery or just within the circle formedby its flange 15 with a collar 17, which projects toward the disk 12, orin the opposite direction from that of the collar 16, to a point nearthe plane of the inner surface of said disk 12. Thus the disks, inaddition to their central bearing upon the pivot 11, have a face-bearingupon each other in a plane midway between the body portions of the disksand at the contacting surfaces of the sleeves 14 and flanges 15, and thedisks are provided, respectively, with inner and outer concentriccollars, which are of a width approximately equal to the intervalbetween the inner surfaces of the body portions of the disks, and saidcollars bound an annular chamber which is concentric with the axes ofthe disks. In this chamber is arranged the actuating-spring 18, providedwith inner and outer terminal hooks 19 and 20 for engagement with thecollars 16 and 17, said collars at suitable points being provided withtransverse slots 16 and 17. The hooks may be en gaged with the collarsby sliding them transversely with relation to the collars in theoperation of bringing the disks into operative relation, thus materiallyfacilitating the assembling of the parts of the device. Furthermore,disengagement of. the extremities of the spring from the collars isprevented by the fact that the spring is of a width approximately equalto the interval between the inner surfaces of the disks, while thecollars are of a width sufficient to completely span the intervalbetween the body portions of the disks.

A further advantage of the construction described resides in the factthat when one attaching-strap is held stationary the straining of theother will be resisted by the strength of the spring by which the disksare connected, whereas the straining of both straps simultaneously willrapidlyand materially increase the tension of the spring, and thus willapply an increased resistance to the extension of the straps.

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have shown a slightlymodified arrangement of partswherein only one disk 21 is employed between the faceplates 22 and 23,said disk having a construction similar to that of the disk 13, in thatit is provided with a bearing-sleeve and a flange forming the seat forarunning-strap 24. Projecting inward from the face-plate 22 is a collar25, to which the inner end of the spring 26 is attached, the outer endof said spring being attached to the flange, which in the modifiedconstruction performs the function of the collar in the other form. Therunningstrap 24 is terminally attached to one of the face-plates and istraversed by a pulley 27, which supports the attaching-straps proper,28. In this modified construction, as in the form shown in Figs. 1 to 6,inclusive, the spring is approximately equal to the width of thespring-chamber which is formed between the concentric inner and outercollars carried, respectively, by the members of the device, wherebylateral displacement of the spring or the terminal disengagement thereoffrom the members of the device is prevented.

I-Iaving described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In suspenders, thecombination with the webbing or shoulder-strap, of parallel platesregularly spaced apart from each other, a disk rotatably mounted betweenthe said plates and having inner and outer collars and a peripheralgroove, a spring arranged in the intervals between said collars andattached thereto and held by the said disk between the plates, means forrotatably supporting the disk in the plates, and an attaching strap orcord having one end attached to the disk over which it is movable andthe opposite end secured at one side to one of the plates.

2. In suspenders, the combination with a webbing or shoulder-strap, ofparallel plates equally spaced apart and connected at their upperportions, a pair of disks rotatably mounted between said plates, one ofwhich has an outer flange with a peripheral groove, an adjacent collar,and a concentric sleeve, and the other provided with a similar flangehaving a peripheral groove, a central sleeve and a collar adjacent thesaid sleeve and concentric therewith, the collars and sleeves of theopposite disks being fitted within and bearing against each other, aspring arranged in the interval between said collars and attachedrespectively to the outer collar of one disk and the inner collar of theopposite disk, means for rotatably supporting said disks, and attachingstraps or cords movably engaging the grooved flanges of the disks andhaving their upper ends attached thereto.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FERNANDO H. PEELLE.

Witnesses:

FRANCIS M. LOTTRIDGE, WILLIAM F. YOUNG.

